In the conventional management systems for X-ray detectors, for example, the X-ray detector in mobile X-ray systems is used by being transferred to a different position. The X-ray detector thereby receives environmental stimuli. The X-ray detector is activated according to the environmental stimuli (For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-297096).
Further, for example, the system detects one or a plurality of X-ray detectors within operative ranges of imaging sub systems. The system can then determine the state (for example, charging conditions, present linkage) and/or the ability (for example, stored protocol, compatibility) for each of the X-ray detectors (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-235091).
Furthermore, for example, the system includes a plurality of X-ray detectors and a server capable of performing communication therewith, and uses the server to obtain functional conditions, maintenance history, and calibration conditions of the X-ray detectors (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-19905).
Large medical institutions have a plurality of inspection rooms. Modality, such as an X-ray diagnosis apparatus, and the like, is provided in the inspection room. The X-ray diagnosis apparatus includes an X-ray generator which generates X-rays and an X-ray detector which is arranged at the position facing the X-ray generator and detects the X-rays. The X-ray detector is configured to wirelessly transmit/receive signals to/from an image processor of the X-ray diagnosis apparatus, such that the X-ray detector is called a wireless flat-panel detector for mobile X-ray imaging. It is assumed that the wireless flat-panel detector for mobile X-ray imaging is shared between a plurality of X-ray diagnosis apparatuses or between the plurality of inspection rooms.
The X-ray detector released from the position facing the X-ray generator is stored in the inspection room. The X-ray detector is housed in a dock (described later). The X-ray detector is configured that the battery conditions thereof can be obtained during storage (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-203595). Here, the “storage” includes a time when the detector is housed in the dock, and means a period, starting from a time when X-ray imaging for diagnosis, in which the X-ray imaging is performed on a subject (patient), is terminated until the next X-ray imaging for diagnosis is started, or a period, starting from a time when the X-ray detector is brought in the medical institution until the first X-ray imaging for diagnosis is started.
The environmental stimuli, state/ability thereof, functional conditions, maintenance history, calibration conditions, battery conditions, and other items for the X-ray detector may be called “items related to the performance and/or function of the X-ray detector”, or simply called “first items” or “routine inspection items”.
The first items are inspected during the storage of the X-ray detector. The inspection results are stored in a storage inside the X-ray detector or a storage provided in the X-ray diagnosis apparatus. The inspection results are read from the storage and checked by a radiation technician, and the like.
In the inspection items for the X-ray detector, there are items related to operation in actual operation conditions for the X-ray detector. Theses items may simply be called “second items” or “operation-start inspection items”. The inspection on the second items is performed just before the X-ray imaging for diagnosis in which the X-ray imaging is performed on the subject.
In the techniques disclosed in the patent gazettes mentioned above, when the X-ray detector stored in another inspection room is used for the X-ray imaging in a self inspection room, the radiation technician, and the like, have been required to go to the other inspection room in order to check the inspection results on the X-ray detector, and it has not been easy to check the inspection results.
Further, in the techniques disclosed in the patent gazettes, the items related to the operation in the actual operation conditions for the X-ray detector are not inspected during the storage. Therefore, supposing that those items are not inspected during the storage, and a disqualified X-ray detector having defects or abnormalities is used for the X-ray imaging on the subject without checking the inspection results during the storage, there have been problems such that a desired image is not obtained and unnecessary exposure is generated.
The embodiments are intended to solve the above problems and provide a management system of X-ray detectors and an X-ray diagnosis apparatus, capable of checking the inspection results easily and preventing the generation of unnecessary exposure.